From Service to Insurrection: How faith in the American way of life drew service members to right-wing ideology

Abstract

In the almost 20 years between the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001 and the American-citizen led insurrection on January 6th, 2021, the cultural, societal, and political terrain of America shifted significantly. During this time, the mythology and faith of many conservative service members also began to shift. Rhetoric grew more vehement, adherents more willing to see enemies at home and home itself as a battlefield. This paper seeks to explore how and why one in five insurrectionists at the Capitol in January 2021 were affiliated with the military. Drawing on historical precedent, analyzing American mythology, and assessing the role of identity and communication, this paper investigates the conditioning and development of faith in the articulated and interpreted American Value system.